Which replacement mower?

My rotary mower has died. Its a 21", and it is self-propelled (there is a roller at the rear which is driven by the engine).

I also have a 24" cylinder.

I was wondering whether the new rotary might be 24", to replace the 21", on the basis that when I use it on the "nice" lawns (to cut long stalks etc.), and on the paths around the rough-cut areas, it would be the same width as the cylinder and thus the two would be interchangeable, and make stripes the same width. Might cover the ground a bit quicker too.

OTOH the rotary is used for the fiddly bits around things - trees, fences, hedges, veg patch and so on - and I wonder if wider will be a nuisance - heavier to manoeuvre etc.

What do you think?

Any brands / modules you would recommend / avoid ?

And attachments I should consider? scarifiers or somesuch maybe?

(I am more inclined to hire big-kit for such work, rather than use under-powered bolt-on solutions, but I'd be happy to be enlightened!)

It needs to be propelled (there is a lot of grass here) and be able to collect the grass, which it does for about 50% of the area. Also needs to be able to wade into knee-high grass on occasions.

 

Id say a hayter ranger but its the knee high grass bit that puts a spanner in the works !

 

If your overcutting the cylinders stripes then the stripes will show through regardless of width.Im not sure if anyone makes a 24" rotary, biggest is a 23".

From experience of the vast majority of machines ie pro spec honda, John Dere and Hayter, The only machine Id recomend is what i curently use an Etesia PRO 51k, expensive at £1300 but will cut Very long grass on the highest setting with ease as well as cutting low on nice finish areas.

Most estesia dealers will let you demo a machine and I sudgest this is what you do.

 

Thanks guys. The knee-high stuff is a once in a blue moon thing, so not important - I can run it 1/4 width at a time, or use the strimmer if the mower can't hack it.

Never heard of Etesia, I'll look them up.

 

OK, I've had a look round for these brands.

Honda: 7 year warranty sounds good! has suitable 21" model.
Hayter: No suitable 21" model, narrower models or without rear roller
John Deere : has suitable 21" model
Etesia : no rear-roller model
Mountfield: has suitable 21" model, lighter

Any other thoughts chaps? (Model details below just for info)

Honda HRD 536 QX 21" - £1019.00 (RRP)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 15 - 53mm 1/2 - 2"
Grass bag capacity 83 Litre
Engine 5.5hp OHV 4-stroke
Starter mechanism Recoil
Dry weight 50kg
7-year warranty

Honda HRH 536 QX 21" - £1279.00 (Heavier deck, Pro model)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 15 - 53mm 1/2 - 2"
Grass bag capacity 88 litre bag
Engine 5.6hp OHV 4-stroke
Starter mechanism Recoil
Dry weight 58kg
7-year warranty

Hayter Harrier 56 22" £1009
(Not suitable for rough lawns)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 13 - 60mm 1/2 - 2.3"
Grass bag capacity 70 litre bag
Engine B&S Intek Edge 55 OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 53.5kg
warranty ???

Hayter Harrier 48 18" £869
(Probably not suitable for rough grass)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 13 - 65mm 1/2 - 2.5"
Grass bag capacity 70 litre bag
Engine B&S Intek Edge 55 OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 48.5kg
warranty 1 year

Hayter 21" Heavy Duty £???
NO ROLLER
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 32 - 82mm 1.25" - 3.25"
Grass bag capacity 65 litre bag
Engine Kawasaki® 4-cycle, 4.8kW (6.5hp)
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 55kg
warranty ???

John Deere R54RKB 21" £849 (street)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 17 - 75mm 0.6" - 3"
Grass bag capacity 80 litre bag
Engine 6.5hp OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 56kg
warranty ???
(mower decks has a 15 year warranty)

Etesia PRO 51 20"
(NO ROLLER)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 25-88mm 1"-3.5"
Grass bag capacity 72 litre bag
Engine 4-stroke B&S 6 hp or Kawasaki 6hp
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight ??kg
warranty 1 year

Mountfield 554R 21" £799 (RRP)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 16-70mm 0.6"-2.75"
Grass bag capacity 65 litre bag
Engine B&S 5 hp
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 40kg
warranty 2 years

 

Honda HRD 536 QX 21" - £1019.00 (RRP)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 15 - 53mm 1/2 - 2"
Grass bag capacity 83 Litre
Engine 5.5hp OHV 4-stroke
Starter mechanism Recoil
Dry weight 50kg
7-year warranty

******Cutting height is very limited, wouldnt reccomend. Underpowered******

Honda HRH 536 QX 21" - £1279.00 (Heavier deck, Pro model)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 15 - 53mm 1/2 - 2"
Grass bag capacity 88 litre bag
Engine 5.6hp OHV 4-stroke
Starter mechanism Recoil
Dry weight 58kg
7-year warranty

****** same as other honda*******

Hayter Harrier 56 22" £1009
(Not suitable for rough lawns)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 13 - 60mm 1/2 - 2.3"
Grass bag capacity 70 litre bag
Engine B&S Intek Edge 55 OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 53.5kg
warranty ???

****** crap engine, cant cut rough areas, small grass bag******

Hayter Harrier 48 18" £869
(Probably not suitable for rough grass)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 13 - 65mm 1/2 - 2.5"
Grass bag capacity 70 litre bag
Engine B&S Intek Edge 55 OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 48.5kg
warranty 1 year

******As above*******

Hayter 21" Heavy Duty £???
NO ROLLER
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 32 - 82mm 1.25" - 3.25"
Grass bag capacity 65 litre bag
Engine Kawasaki® 4-cycle, 4.8kW (6.5hp)
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 55kg
warranty ???

******* Ok machine, but VERY small grass bag, No bladebreak clutch so have to start engine after every time you stop******

John Deere R54RKB 21" £849 (street)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 17 - 75mm 0.6" - 3"
Grass bag capacity 80 litre bag
Engine 6.5hp OHV
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 56kg
warranty ???
(mower decks has a 15 year warranty)

****** Not a bad machine, well built******

Etesia PRO 51 20"
(NO ROLLER)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 25-88mm 1"-3.5"
Grass bag capacity 72 litre bag
Engine 4-stroke B&S 6 hp or Kawasaki 6hp
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight ??kg
warranty 1 year

**** This is the machine I use on a day to day basis, Mine has the superior kawaski engine, The air filtration on the kawaski is superior to any other 4 stroke engine. Will cut and collect even sodden grass. Capable of mowing long grass (mine does regularly) Engine has a fuel tap . The control cables are centrally encased and dont break unlike on conventional mowers. The machine has a blade break clutch and two engine speeds therfore it can be kept running whilst you empty the grass box also you can drive the mower along the ground without the blades going. Two drive speeds. With a push of a lever the handles pivot down. The grass box fills completly.

Mountfield 554R 21" £799 (RRP)
Cutting heights (min./ max.) 16-70mm 0.6"-2.75"
Grass bag capacity 65 litre bag
Engine B&S 5 hp
Starter mechanism Recoil
Weight 40kg
warranty 2 years

***** crap engine, Severly underpowered and badly built Very small grass bag***


In my opinion the Etesia is by far the best machine and will last a lifetime of domestic use, Mine takes the abuse of daily use and to date has needed no repairs, cant fault it in any way and have been amazed at what it will cut. Swaping to the eteisia has cut my mowing times down on every job as its farr quicker.

 

The hayter is only 2 litres smaller in the grass bag that your mower pro ive never had problems with briggs and stratton myself either

What about viking or stiga?

oh and can you get a mulch plug for the Etesia and whats it like on rougher ground ?

 

I dont like briggs engines, they are a cheper production item than say a honda or a kawaski and lack features like fuel cutt off. The filtration on the kawaski is amazing and uses 3 stadges resulting in perfect running and very little maintance.

Ive always found hondas and kawaskis to start first pull wereas briggs engines can be stuborn starters.

Rough ground is no problem, I cut some nasty rough and even sloping grass areas.

No multch plug on the pro 51 although the flagship machine the pro53 does have this option along with hydralic drive, reverse gear and a hefty £2000 price tag lol.

 

Well whats it like without the grass box fitted then ? dose it spread out fairly even ? i think my john deere is on the way out

 

Never used viking or stiga as they are basicly domestic machines.

 

Without the grassbox it cuts ok and ejects fine it sends it out as a stream rather than spittin out wads.

For REALLY long grass ie knee high stuff then I bunjee strap up the ejection flap so it can shoot out easier.

Spud, If you do ever think about one then I recomend you borrow one from the dealer to demo it for a day either that or your welcome to come over the water and try mine.

 

Relevency of grass-bag size is dependant on how well the mower throws the grass into the bag. Some mowers dont throw well and only fill the front of the bag.

How well it fills the bag will depend not only on engine size but also on design.

Longer grass is heavier and will not be thrown back into the bag as well as short dry grass.

all IMHO of course

83 ltres of cut wet grass is pretty heavy to keep lugging around.


You need to go to several dealers, ask questions and try various machines.

 

The etesia is the best machine in terms of filling the grass box that ive ever used

 

What mower did you have then ? if you had it along time and it was good how about the same again ?

 

Thanks for your input chaps.

"if you had it along time and it was good how about the same again ?"

I had the ... errrm ... "crap engine, Severly underpowered and badly built Very small grass bag" :eek: Mountfield. Its more than 10 years old, so it doesn't owe me anything :thumb:

I'm put off the Etesia because it doesn't have a roller (wheels at each corner, but it is driven). Reason being that trying to cut along fiddly shaped flower beds if you drop a wheel over the edge you don't have any more drive, and you've just scalped the edge of the lawn. I also reckon that on wet grass I get more traction across the width of the powered roller, rather than just a couple of driven wheels.

The Hayter site was a nightmare to try to compare mowers, and I'm not sure I found all the models they have, but in general I don't think its the mower for me.

I like the 7 year warranty on the Honda, but I agree cutting height is too limited.

The warranty on the cutting deck on the John Deere is good - I do go over a fair number of stones and bits of branch etc., and they obviously are not expecing me to break their deck! Big collection bag. Nice green colour matches my El Cheapo Chinese Tractor :D (I have no illusions why Jinma painted it that colour )

So unless I find a dirt cheap Mountfield I reckon its the J.D.

Still open to comment as I don't need to buy it for a couple of days yet.